Image sensor with solar cell function and electronic device thereof

ABSTRACT

A unit pixel element that acts as an image sensor or a solar cell according to the present invention comprises a photo detector that drives a photocurrent flow, induced by light incident onto the gate, along the channel between the source and the drain; a first switch that is wired and switched on or switched off between the source terminal of the photo detector and the first solar cell bus; and a second switch that is wired and switched on or switched off between the gate terminal of the photo detector and the second solar cell bus, and features a function of light energy harvesting and high-efficiency photoelectric conversion that generates and supplies effective electric power.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/883,589, filed Oct. 14, 2015, which claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Application No. 62/104,068, filed Jan. 15, 2015.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an image sensor that also acts as asolar cell and an electronic device using the image sensor with a solarcell function and, more specifically, to a technology that acts, ingeneral, as an image sensor and operates, as necessary, by beingconverted to a specific mode, as a solar cell.

BACKGROUND ART

Light energy harvesting, which wirelessly charges an existing battery byconverting light energy to electric power, is a technology inevitablyrequired to establish the Internet of things (IoT), ubiquitous sensornetworks (USN), wireless sensor networks (WSN) and the like and acts asa semi-permanent power source supplied to diverse electronic devicesrelated to such fields.

Accordingly, the light energy harvesting technology is required to bemicrominiaturized and integrated. Although some studies have shownattempts to manufacture a light energy conversion device that is similarto an integrated solar cell (ISC) by employing P-N junction photodiodetechnique from the CMOS process in order to integrate the light energyconversion device into another circuit, such a photodiode exhibits a lowphotoelectric conversion efficiency, which is not adequate to supply thecircuits in the chip with sufficient power. Furthermore, it is a longway to go to fully integrate a solar cell process with a standard CMOSprocess.

The present invention relates to a method and technical thoughtspertinent to it to provide a pixelated solar cell system on chip (SOC)on the basis of and improving the registered patents, “Unit Pixel ofImage Sensor and Photo Detector Thereof” (U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,569,806B2,8,610,234B2 and 8,669,599B2). To this purpose, the structure andoperation of a photo detector and a pixelated solar cell manufacturedvia a standard CMOS process will be described and a method will beproposed where a pixel of a solar cell thus manufactured shares a singlecell with a pixel of an image sensor so that each function may beselected as necessary.

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

Accordingly, in order to solve those problems aforementioned, thepresent invention provides a method to make a pixel of a solar cellequipped with a high-efficiency photo detector share a single cell witha pixel of an image sensor and to select, as necessary, either of theboth functions to use as an image sensor or as a solar cell to produceand store driving power.

Technical Solution

An array element that may act as an image sensor or a solar cellaccording to an embodiment of the present invention comprisessubelements each of which arrays two or more unit pixel elements in afirst direction; and a subelement switch that is switched on or switchedoff between the subelements in order to array two or more subelements ina second direction, wherein the subelement comprises a photo detectorthat drives a photocurrent flow, induced by light incident onto thegate, along the channel between the source and the drain; and a unitpixel element that includes a first switch and a second switch thatconnects the terminals of the photo detector to the first solar cell busand the second solar cell bus.

An array element that may act as an image sensor or a solar cellaccording to yet another embodiment of the present invention comprisessubelements that array two or more unit pixel elements in a firstdirection; and a subelement switch that is switched on or switched offbetween the subelements in order to array two or more the subelements ina second direction, wherein the subelement comprises a photo detectorthat drives a photocurrent flow, induced by light incident onto thegate, along the channel between the source and the drain; and

An electronic device equipped with a technology that may act as an imagesensor or a solar cell according to an embodiment of the presentinvention comprises an image sensor section that comprises two or moreunit pixels that may act as a solar cell depending on a control signal;and a processor that generates the control signal and transmits thecontrol signal to the image sensor section, wherein each of the unitpixels includes a photo detector that drives a photocurrent flow,induced by light incident onto the gate, along the channel between thesource and the drain.

Advantageous Effects

A technology according to an embodiment of the present invention mayprovides a technology that may act as an image sensor equipped with afunction of light energy harvesting and effectively produce and supplypower.

In addition, a technology according to a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention may be manufactured being fully integrated with easeto adjacent circuits including an image sensor and all the circuits aswell manufactured in a CMOS process.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a photo detector that showshigh-efficiency photoelectric conversion according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view for describing a high-efficiencyphotoelectric conversion mechanism of the photo detector according tothe present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a photo detector for a solar cellaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view for describing an electric powergeneration mechanism of the photo detector according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a Voc acquisition mechanism of thephoto detector according to the first embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a Voc acquisition mechanism of thephoto detector according to the second embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 7 illustrates a configuration of a unit pixel of a solar cellaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates a Voc acquisition mechanism in a pixel arrayaccording to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a Voc acquisition mechanism in a pixel array according to thesecond embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration of a unit pixel of an image sensoraccording to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a schematic configuration of a unit pixel of a solar cellaccording to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a schematic configuration of a second unit pixel of an imagesensor according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a schematic configuration of a second unit pixel of a solarcell according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is an image sensor array according to the present invention.

FIG. 15 is an array element that acts as an image sensor or a solar cellaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram of an electronic device that acts as an imagesensor or a solar cell according to the present invention.

MODE FOR INVENTION

Since the present invention may have a plurality of variations andembodiments, a few specific embodiments will now be exemplified indetails with reference to drawings and descriptions. The structural andfunctional statements provided for an embodiment, however, are nothingmore than an exemplification of the purpose of the embodiment, and mustnot be interpreted to restrict the present invention within a specificmode for carrying out the invention but must be interpreted to includeall the modifications, equivalents and substitutes that are incorporatedin the scope of the thoughts and technology of the present invention.

Any detailed description on related, well-known technology will beomitted should the detailed description be judged to obscure the intentof the present invention. Those numerals, such as the first, the second,etc., referred to in this specification are nothing more than anidentifier to distinguish a certain element from another.

Should an element of the present invention be described to be “wired”,“connected”, “linked”, etc., to other element(s), it must be interpretedthat the element may be explicitly and directly wired, connected,linked, etc. to another element(s) or, except otherwise contrarilyprovided, it must be also interpreted that the element may be wired,connected, linked, etc. to other element(s) with other component(s) inbetween.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be describedmore specifically with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a photo detector that showshigh-efficiency photoelectric conversion according to the presentinvention.

A light-receiving device, which corresponds to the photo detector, of aunit pixel is established by means of a tunnel junction device insteadof an existing photodiode as illustrated in FIG. 1, where a tunneljunction device, in which a thin insulating layer is sandwiched betweentwo conductors or semiconductors, is defined as an electronic elementthat operates using a tunneling effect generated in the insulatinglayer. For information purpose, a tunneling effect, as a term based onquantum mechanics, is a phenomenon that a particle that moves whereforce having potential exerts its effect penetrates an area thepotential energy of which is larger than the kinetic energy the particlehas.

An embodiment of the present invention provides a method to produce alight-receiving device and a solar cell as a unit pixel by means of sucha photo detector, where the term “photo detector” used in thespecifications and claims refers to a light-receiving device and a solarcell materialized by means of the tunnel junction device. The photodetector may be established into various configurations including, forexample, a common n-MOSFET or p-MOSFET. In addition, the unit device mayalso be established using a JFET, a HEMT, etc. that derives a tunnelingeffect.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the photo detector 100 has a PMOS structure.The photo detector 100 is built up on a p-substrate 110, designated alsoas P-sub in FIG. 1, and comprising a P+ diffusion layer 120 and anotherP+ diffusion layer 130 that corresponds to the source and drain,respectively, of a common NMOS. Each P+ diffusion layer 120, 130 will bereferred to as the “source” and “drain”, respectively, of a photodetector according to the present invention.

On top of the source 120 and drain 130 are built up a source electrode121 and drain electrode 131 that is wired to an external node,respectively.

An N-well 115 is structured upon n-type impurities being doped onto theP-sub 110 for the photo detector 110. On the N-well thus formed areconstructed the source 120 and the drain 130, doped by P-typeimpurities. Then, a thin oxide layer 140 is formed between the source120 and the drain and a polysilicon area, doped by n-type impurities, isformed that corresponds to the gate of a common MOSFET on the top of theoxide layer 140. The polysilicon 150 area acts as a light-receivingcomponent in the photo detector, therefore the polysilicon 150 is to bereferred to as “light-receiving section” hereinafter.

The light-receiving section 150 stands off, over the oxide layer 140,the source 120 and the drain 130. A tunneling arises en route from thelight-receiving section 150 to the source 120 or the drain 130, where athickness of 10 nm or less of the oxide layer 140 is preferred tofacilitate the tunneling effect.

In the photo detector 100, a metallic, light-shielding layer may beoverlaid on the area except for the top of the light-receiving section150 as is not the case with a common MOSFET. The photo detector 100exploits the light-shielding layer to restrict incident light only ontothe light-receiving section and, in turn, to maximize photoelectricconversion efficiency.

The photo detector 100 may be fabricated via a standard CMOS processthat is identical to the process employed to fabricate other circuitsand used as part of an integrated system, which accounts for seamlessintegration and various applications.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view for describing a photoelectricconversion mechanism of a photo detector 100 according to the presentinvention. The photo detector 100 admits, via the top side of alight-receiving section, light that then generates electron-hole pairs(EHPs) deriving a certain electric field between the light-receivingsection 150 and the source 120 or drain 130. Should the voltage reach acertain value between the source electrode 120 and the drain electrode131, the charges excited by light tunnel, from the light-receivingsection, through the oxide layer 140 into the source 120 or the drain130. Upon the charges tunneling, holes are depleted in and electronsflow into the light-receiving section 150 so that the charge quantity ofelectrons overwhelms that of holes. The change in charge quantity lowersthe threshold voltage of the channel 160 between the source 120 and thedrain 130, which leads photocurrent to flow along the channel 160. Thetechnology described so far is also expounded in detail both in the U.S.Pat. Nos. 8,569,806B2, 8,610,234B2 and 8,669,599B2 that were registeredand U.S. Ser. No. 14/327,549 that are now pending, all of which wereapplied by the inventor of the present invention, therefore it may notbe required to be described detailedly further.

Incident light comes only onto the top of the light-receiving section150 of a photo detector 100 according to the present invention, wherethe light-receiving section opens outward to admit light of a diversewavelengths that, in turn, is absorbed in the light-receiving section150 or, depending on the wavelength, penetrates the light-receivingsection 150 to reach the N-well 115 underneath or the substrate 110further underneath. For example, should the light-receiving section 150have a thickness of 150 nm or more, blue, or shortwave, light cannotreach the substrate 100 but is mostly absorbed in the light-receivingsection 150. Unlike an existing, common photo detector, a photo detector100 the present invention provides, even if any shortwave light is to beabsorbed in the light-receiving section 150, failing in reaching thesubstrate underneath, changes in the charge quantity in thelight-receiving section 150 by means of the energy the light-receivingsection 150 absorbs and, in turn, drives current along the channel,which facilitates detection of light of short wavelengths while all therest light of other wavelengths penetrates the light-receiving section150 deriving a similar phenomenon in the light-receiving section 150,which also changes in the threshold voltage of the current channel.

Meanwhile, light with relatively longer wavelengths enough to penetratethe light-receiving section 150 generates EHPs also in the N-well 115 sothat electrons pile up, as illustrated in FIG. 2, in the N-well 115underneath the channel to have an influence on the change of thethreshold voltage. A photo detector 100 fabricated according to such amethod shows not only a very high sensitivity to detect even a singlephoton but also performance to drive a very large current flow by meansof a slight amount of light. Accordingly, a photo detector 100 of thepresent invention may act as an image sensor and a solar cell as well.

A solar sensor chip as a system on chip (SOC) will be proposed below onthe basis of such a photo detector to which a function of a solar cellhas been newly added. While a PMOS-type configuration is described inFIGS. 1 and 2, an NMOS-type configuration and other similarconfigurations as well may also be established, all of which must beinterpreted to be included in the rights of the present invention.

FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a photo detector for asolar cell according to the present invention and a cross-sectional viewfor describing an electric power generation mechanism of the photodetector 300, respectively. When operating as a solar cell, the photodetector 300 induces photocurrent according to light absorption andgenerates photovoltaic electromotive force.

In the photo detector 300, as illustrated in FIG. 3, upon light beingabsorbed in a light-receiving section 350, electrons tunnel through theoxide layer 140 from the channel between the source 120 and the drain130 to move to the light-receiving section 350, which changes the entirecharge quantity of the light-receiving section 350. The change in thecurrent quantity induced by light may be estimated by measuring thevoltage applied between the light-receiving section 350 and the drain130. In addition, the charges accumulated in the N-well 115 may beestimated also by measuring the voltage between the drain 130 and theelectrodes 131, 361 of the W-RST 360.

In the photo detector 300, as illustrated in FIG. 4, if light the energyof which is larger than the threshold voltage, determined in thefabrication process, of the transistor, photocurrent is to flow alongthe channel 160.

More specifically, the silicon interface was initially designed to havea threshold voltage, between the source 120 and the drain 130 where achannel 160 may be built up, right below the sub-threshold voltage,wherein, without incident light onto the light-receiving section 350, nophotocurrent flows along the channel 160.

When light the energy of which is larger than the energy that binds animpurity doped in the light-receiving section 350 with a charge, aplurality of electrons and holes in the light-receiving section freelymove on either side with the oxide layer 140, which prohibits in anequilibrium state each type of charges from getting across into theopposite side, as the barrier. Each EHP thus generated exists as anelectron and a hole per se for a certain period of time before theelectron and the hole are recombined, and migrates to the area to whichthe electric field is concentrated.

Because the potential of the silicon interface is right below thesub-threshold between the source and the drain 130, electrons or holestunnel from the light-receiving section 350 to the source 120 or thedrain 130 due to the charge quantity that has been increased and theelectric field that has been dense driven by the incident light onto thelight-receiving section 350, which lowers the threshold voltage of thechannel 160 and, in turn, photocurrent flows proportionally to theamount of the light of the channel 160.

The voltage that drives the photocurrent may be detected via thelight-receiving section 350 or the N-well 115. The value of the voltagethus measured may range from a few nanoamperes-to a few microamperesdepending on the amount of light detected via the N-well 115, whichbrings about a voltage difference ranging from 0.1 to 1.0 V. The valueis measured excluding any effect of dark current while such an output isacquired from a pixel of 3 μm or less. Therefore, a considerably largeroutput may be acquired by arranging a plurality of pixels in series orin parallel to constitute and control a pixel array. FIG. 5 is across-sectional view of a Voc acquisition mechanism of the photodetector 300 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, should a certain amount of voltage be appliedbetween the source 120 and the drain 130, incident light into thelight-receiving section 350 changes the threshold voltage, which drivesphotocurrent to flow. Light of longer wavelengths penetrates thelight-receiving section 350 then is absorbed in the N-well 115, whichgenerates a certain amount of charges also in the N-well 115 that thenpiles up around the interface of the channel according to a principleidentical to that underlies the charge generation in the light-receivingsection 150.

The photocurrent that flows along the channel is driven by the voltagethat is generated by the charge quantity in the light-receiving section350 and the N-well 115. More specifically, the photocurrent thus drivengenerates V_(Drain-Gate) or the voltage between the drain 130 and thelight-receiving section 350 and V_(Drain-Wrst) or the Voltage Betweenthe Drain 350 and the N-well 115. Therefore, Voc is acquired bymeasuring any one of the values of the V_(Drain-Gate) applied between aterminal 131 wired to the drain 130 and a terminal 351 wired to thelight-receiving section 350, and the V_(Drain-Wrst) applied between aterminal 131 wired to the drain 350 and a terminal 361 wired to theN-well 115.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a Voc acquisition mechanism of thephoto detector 300 according to the second embodiment of the presentinvention.

Not only a larger amount of photocurrent from the photo detector 300 butalso a larger amount of Voc is required to acquire also a larger output.In this regard, as illustrated in FIG. 6, a larger amount of voltage,V_(Drain-(gate-wrst)), may be applied between a terminal that connectsthe light-receiving section 350 to the N-well 115 and a terminal 132wired to the drain 130 if the threshold of the channel increases byconnecting a terminal 351 wired to the light-receiving section 350 to aterminal 361 wired to an N+ diffusion layer 360, which is due to thecharge quantity additionally increased when the electrons underneath ofthe N-well 115 moves to the N+ diffusion layer 360.

FIG. 7 illustrates a configuration of a unit pixel of a solar cellaccording to the present invention, where the solar cell, as a pixelatedsolar cell, comprises a unit pixel 700. The unit pixel 700 comprises thephoto detector 300, a first switch, Ms; a second switch, Mg; a thirdswitch Mwr; a fourth switch Mv; a first solar cell bus, SCB1; and asecond solar cell bus, SCB 2. The photo detector 300 generatesphotocurrent along the channel between the source and the drain drivenby the light, hv, incident onto the light-receiving section or the gate.The first switch, Ms, being wired between the source terminal of thephoto detector 300 and the first solar cell bus, SCB 1, is made orbroken for an on or off state. The second switch, Mg, being wiredbetween the light-receiving section, or the gate, terminal of the photodetector 300 and the second solar cell bus, SCB 2, is made or broken foran on or off state. The third switch, Mwr, being wired between a resetterminal connected to the N-well or the substrate of the photo detector300 and the second solar cell bus for an on or off state. The resetterminal is doped with impurities that are different from those doped inthe source and the drain. With reference to FIGS. 3 through 6, the resetterminal, Wrst, is doped with n-type impurities other than those p-typeimpurities injected in the source and the drain while the reset terminalin an NMOS may be doped with p-type impurities other than those n-typeimpurities injected in the source and the drain, where VDD is linked toan extra, external system power source and left fixed in order to drivethe photo detector 300. For this purpose, the VDD may be connected tothe drain of the photo detector via the fourth switch, Mv, where aminimum value of VDD may be applied in order to make the dark currentminimized while an extra circuit may be added outside the pixel to getrid of the dark current.

Meanwhile, the photo detector 300 may use a power source identical towhat adjacent circuits use since the photo detector 300 is fabricated ina process identical to the process via which the adjacent circuits arefabricated. In such a case, unlike an existing photo detector, the photodetector 300 according to the present invention may be configured to usethe power source per se the adjacent circuits use without anyadditional, extra power source.

With incident light onto the photo detector 300, photocurrent is to flowen route from the first solar cell bus, SCB 1, to the second solar cellbus, SCB 2, while Voc is to be obtained between the first solar cellbus, SCB 1, and the second solar cell bus, SCB 2, by controlling thesecond switch, Mg, and the third switch, Mwr.

The second switch, Mg, and the third switch, Mwr, may be selectivelyconnected to an external matrix such as row decoders by on/offactivities, where the second switch, Mg, and the third switch, Mwr, maybe switched on to the second solar cell bus, SCB 2, either in astaggered mode or simultaneously. Should both the second switch, Mg, andthe third switch, Mwr, be simultaneously made to be connected to anexternal matrix, a larger value of Voc may be obtained than in the casethe light-receiving section and the N-well of the photo detector 300 isseparately connected to the second solar cell bus, SCB 2, as illustratedin FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 illustrates a Voc acquisition mechanism in a pixel arrayaccording to the first embodiment of the present invention. The pixelarray 800 comprises subelements 810 each of which arrays one or moreunit pixel element 700 in a first direction; and a subelement switch 820that is made or broken between the subelements 810 in order to array twoor more subelements 810 in a second direction, wherein the subelement810 comprises, as illustrated in FIG. 7, a photo detector 300 thatflows, driven by light incident onto the gate electrode, photocurrentbetween the source and the drain; and a unit pixel element 700 thatincludes a first switch, Ms, and a second switch, Mg, that links theterminals of the photo detector 300 to the first solar cell bus, SCB 1and the second solar cell bus, SCB 2. The unit pixel element 700 mayadditionally include a third switch, Mwr, that links the photo detector300 to the second solar cell bus, SCB 2.

The subelement switch 820 is made or broken for an on or off statebetween the second solar cell bus, SCB 2, of the first subelement 810and the first solar cell bus, SCB 1, of the second subelement 830.

The Voc obtained in the unit pixel 700 in the pixel array 800 is definedas open circuit voltage obtained between either the drain and the gateor the drain and the N-well and a larger value of Voc may be obtained ifthe pixels are arranged in such an array by adjusting the connectionbetween the pixels. An identical value of Voc, V1, is applied betweenevery two adjacent columns and n columns wired in series makes theentire output Voc nV1, a very significant value for Voc. As illustratedin FIG. 8, SCB lines may be wired in series each of which lies betweenevery two columns to output in series the entire summation of thevoltage of each column by controlling the subelement switch 820.Therefore, the output may be adjusted as desired considering that anappropriate value of the Voc required is determined by controlling thesubelement switch 820.

FIG. 9 illustrates a Voc acquisition mechanism in a pixel arrayaccording to the second embodiment of the present invention. The pixelarray 900 additionally includes, as illustrated in FIG. 8, a firstcontrol section 910 as well as the subelements 810 and the subelementswitches 820. The first control section 910 generates individual controlsignals for the first switch and the second switch in the plurality ofunit pixel elements then transmits the individual control signals toeach of the unit pixels in the pixel array 900, where the first controlsection 910 may be denoted as decoder and matrix controller in that thefirst control section 910 decodes a control signal transmitted from theprocessor then transmits the control signal thus decoded to each of theunit pixels.

In case that a third subelement 940 and a fourth subelement 950 areadded to the existing first subelement 810 and the second subelement830, a second control section 920 may generates control signals andtransmits the control signals to each of the subelements so that thefirst subelement 810 and the third subelement 940 share the first solarcell bus, SCB 1, and the second solar cell bus, SCB 2, with the secondsubelement 830 and the fourth subelement 950 by wiring the firstsubelement 810 and the second subelement 830 to the first subarrayswitch 820 and the internal buse, SCB, while by wiring the thirdsubelement 940 and the fourth subelement 950 to the second subarrayswitch 960 and the internal bus, SCB. Therefore, a double amount of aVoc may be obtained by wiring the first subelement 810 and the secondsubelement 830 that correspond to two columns to the internal buses,SCBs, where the photocurrent and the Voc, being induced by light, aredetected via the first solar cell bus, SCB 1, and the second solar cellbus, SCB 2.

In a similar way, a double amount of a Voc may be obtained by wiring thethird subelement 940 and the fourth subelement 950 that correspond totwo columns to the internal buses, SCBs, where the photocurrent and theVoc thus generated are detected via the first solar cell bus, SCB 1 andthe second solar cell bus, SCB 2 and may be stored in a capacitor in thechip that constitutes the unit pixel element 700 or an external battery.

Furthermore, the first control section 910 may selectively designate apixel element to contribute to photoelectric conversion andautomatically interrupt voltage generation when the capacitor or batteryis filled with an adequate amount of electric power. It is explicit thatthe first control section 910 and the second control section 920 may beestablished via a single, physical control section and also by aprocessor in an electronic device.

FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration of a unit pixel of an image sensoraccording to the first embodiment of the present invention. The unitpixel 1000 is equipped a selection device, SEL, that is wired to thephoto detector 300 while the unit pixel 1000 may be connected, via acolumn bus, CB, to an image sensor comprising an IVC circuit 1010 thatis a DC voltage converting circuit, where the SEL may be established ina form, for example an MOSFET structure, among various devices. In sucha case, both the photo detector 300 and the SEL are simultaneouslyfabricated in an MOSFET process, which facilitates fabricationconvenience with lower costs.

Should the SEL be switched on, the photocurrent photoelectricallyconverted in the photo detector 300 of the unit pixel 1000 commencesbeing accumulated in a capacitor 1015 in the IVC circuit 1010. Thephotocurrent stored in the capacitor 1015 is to be output as voltage theamount of which is IVC_OUT and the signal of which is transmitted tocircuits including CDS (co-double sampling). When the selection device,SEL, is switched on, should the BUS_RST be switched on, the column bus,CB, and the photo detector 300 as well as the capacitor 1015 in the IVCcircuit 1010 are directly connected to the ground section, GND, whichdischarges the charges accumulated and resets the signals. Anintegration time required for an image sensor may be defined via thoseactivities aforementioned while a continuous image may be acquired via arolling shutter technique.

FIG. 11 is a schematic configuration of a unit pixel of a solar cellaccording to the first embodiment of the present invention. The unitpixel 1100 is a solar sell into which the unit pixel 1000 of the 1T-typeimage sensor shown in FIG. 10 has been materialized. For this purpose,the unit pixel 1100 as a solar cell may be established utilizing theimage sensor shown in FIG. 10 by adding a first solar cell bus, SCB 1,and a second solar cell bus 2, SCB 2, and switches S1 and S2.

More specifically, the unit pixel 1100 comprises the photo detector 300that generates photoccurent, driven by incident light onto the gate,along the channel between the source and the drain; a first switch, S1,that links the gate terminal of the photo detector 300 and the firstsolar cell bus, SCB 1, to be made or broken; and a selection device,SEL, that links the source terminal of the photo detector 300 and thesecond solar cell bus, SCB 2, to output the photocurrent off the pixeloutput terminal 1010, where the pixel output terminal 1010 correspondsto the IVC circuit 1010 shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 while the unit pixel1100 may additionally include a second switch, S2, that links theselection device and the pixel output terminal 1010 to be made orbroken. Electric power is generated from photocurrent and Voc obtainedbetween the first solar cell bus, SCB 1, and the second solar cell bus,SCB 2, by connecting, via the first switch, S1, the first solar cellbus, SCB 1 and the gate of the photo detector 300 and utilizing, via thesecond switch, S2, the column bus, CB, shown in FIG. 10 as the secondsolar cell bus, SCB 2. In other words, either image sensor or solar cellmay be selectively operated as aforementioned by making or breaking thefirst switch, S1, and the second switch, S2, where the unit pixel 1000operates as a solar cell when the first switch, S1, is on while theselection device, SEL, or the second switch, S2, is off whereas the unitpixel 1000 operates as an image sensor when the first switch, S1, is offwhile the second switch, S2, is on.

In addition, the pixel output terminal 1010 includes a capacitor 1015that links the second solar cell bus, SCB 2 and the ground section, GND,and stores the photocurrent and a reset device, BUS_RST, that is wiredin parallel to the capacitor 1015 and links the second solar cell bus,SCB 2 and the ground section, GND.

FIG. 12 is a schematic configuration of a second unit pixel of an imagesensor according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Thesecond unit pixel 1200 additionally includes a reset device, RST, thatis wired to the well of the photo detector 300 in addition to theexisting the photo detector 300 and the selection device, SEL, shown inFIG. 10. The unit pixel 1200 may operate as an image sensor by wiringeach of columns of the unit pixel to the IVC circuit 1010. When theselection device is switched on, the photocurrent photoelectricallyconverted in the photo detector 300 is stored in the capacitor 1015 ofthe IVC circuit 1010. The photocharges thus stored in the capacitor 1015is to be output as voltage the amount of which is IVC-OUT and the signalof which is transmitted to circuits including CDS.

When the selection device, SEL, is switched on, should the BUS_RST beswitched on, the column bus, SC, and the photo detector 300 as well asthe capacitor 1015 in the IVC circuit 1010 are directly connected to theground section, GND, which discharges the charges accumulated and resetsthe signals.

The reset device, RST, may be used when the signals are not resetseamlessly via the photo detector 300 or in order to manually adjust thethreshold voltage of the current channel. The reset device, RST, mayalso be used to specially acquire images with a high frame rate withoutdelay, etc.

FIG. 13 illustrates a schematic configuration of a second unit pixel ofa solar cell according to the second embodiment of the presentinvention. The second unit pixel 1300 is a solar cell into which theunit pixel 1200 of the 2T-type image sensor shown in FIG. 12 has beenmaterialized. The second unit pixel 1300 comprises a photo detector 300that drives photocurrent, induced by incident light onto the gate, toflow along the channel between the source and that drain; a firstswitch, S1, that links the gate terminal of the photo detector 300 and afirst solar cell bus, SCB 1 and is switched on or switched off; a secondswitch, S2, that links the reset terminal of the photo detector 300 andthe first solar cell bus, SCB 1 and is switched on or switched off; aselection device, SEL, that links the source terminal of the photodetector 300 and the second solar cell bus, SCB 2 to putout thephotoccurent off the pixel output terminal 1010; and, additionally, areset device, RST, that is wired to the well of the photo detector 300,where the reset terminal, RST, is doped with impurities that aredifferent from those doped in the source and the drain.

Moreover, the second unit pixel 1300 may additionally include a thirdswitch, S3, that is switched on or switched off being wired between theselection device, SEL, and the pixel output terminal 1010. The unitpixel operates as a solar cell when the first switch, S1, or the secondswitch, S2, is on while the third switch is off whereas the unit pixeloperates as an image sensor when the first switch, S1 and the secondswitch, S2, are off while the third switch, S3, is on. The first switch,S1, and the second switch, S2, may be simultaneously turned on in orderto obtain a larger amount of Voc.

The pixel output terminal 1010 includes a capacitor 1015 that, beingwired between the second solar cell bus, SCB 2, and the ground section,GND, stores the photocurrent; and a reset device, BUS_RST, that is wiredbetween the second solar cell bus, SCB 2, and the ground section, GND,and wired in parallel to the capacitor 1015, on the basis of theconfiguration of which electric power is generated from photocurrent andVoc obtained between the first solar cell bus line, SCB 1, and thesecond solar cell bus line, SCB 2. FIG. 14 is an image sensor arrayaccording to the present invention. The image sensor array 1400 acts asa high-sensitivity image sensor when a row decoder and matrix controller1410 and a column decoder and matrix controller 1420 transfers thephotocurrent photoelectrically converted in the unit pixels 1000, 1200of each column to an IVC circuit array 1430 in which the IVC circuits ofthe columns are arranged in a direction parallel to the column then theIVC circuit array 1430 converts the photocurrent to voltage signal andtransfers the voltage signal to CDS, etc, on the basis of theconfiguration of which a high-sensitivity, high-rate image sensor may beestablished. In addition, the unit pixel may be materialized by a PPStechnique, but in such a case, integration may not commence before therow decoder selects a pixel because the effect of a parasitic capacitoris infinitesimal or does not exist when compared to the output currentof the light-receiving device in the pixel, which accounts for a majordifference of this technology distinct from a CIS unit pixel of anexisting APS technique. Therefore, a high-frame rate image sensor may beconfigured by multiprocessing the signals in a modified rolling shuttertechnique. The light signal may be transferred also via a columnparallel technique as well as a rolling shutter technique.

Because the unit pixel is very simple and small in terms of theconfiguration and dimension, respectively, an image the frame rate ofwhich ranges from 500 to 10,000 fps may be acquired, as in a generalglobal shutter, by placing a capacitor in the unit pixel to store thedata at one time in analogue memory and read the data at a high speed.

A unit pixel of an image sensor and an image sensor as a matrixcomprising the unit pixels have been exemplified so far via a pluralityof embodiments according to the present invention. The unit pixelsaccording to the embodiments of the present invention are arrayed2-dimensionally while the unit pixels may be arranged in the array, inorder to build up a frame, in an existing VGA, HD or full HD formincluding 640 by 480, 1280 by 720, 1920 by 1080, etc., 4K UHD including3840 by 2160, 4096 by 2160, etc. or 8K UHD including 7680 by 4320.

A larger photocurrent in a unit pixel provided by the present inventionthan that in an existing photo diode may be induced based on such aconfiguration aforementioned in that, different from an existing photodiode technology that distinguishes brightness from darkness by meansonly of the charge quantity stored in the electrostatic capacity, a unitpixel provided by the present invention controls the current flow alongthe source-drain channel due to the change in the charge quantity as afield effect induced by incident light onto the light-receiving sectionand, at the same time, receives charges via the drain, which per seamplifies the signal.

FIG. 15 is an array element that acts as an image sensor or a solar cellaccording to the present invention. The array element 1500 comprises asubelement 1501 in which two or more unit pixel elements are arranged ina first direction and a subelement switch 1502 that is wired andswitched on or switched off between the subelements in order to arrangethe subelements in a second direction, where the subelement 1501, asillustrated in FIGS. 11 and 13, comprises a photo detector 300 thatgenerates photocurrent flow along the channel between the source and thedrain; a plurality of switches, S1 through S3 and SEL, that connect theterminals of the photo detector to the first solar cell bus and thesecond solar cell bus; and unit pixel elements 1100, 1300 that include apixel output terminal 1010 that is wired to the second solar cell busand stores the photocurrent by means of voltage.

The subelement switch 1502 may be wired and switched on or switched offbetween the second solar cell bus, SCB 2, of the first subelement 1501and the second solar cell bus, SCB 2, of the second subelement 1503; oras illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, between the second solar cell bus, SCB2, of the first subelement 1501 and the second solar cell bus, SCB 2, ofthe second subelement 1503.

The array element 1500 may additionally include a first control section1510 that generates individual signals for a plurality of switches, S1through S3 and SEL, in the two or more unit pixel elements 1100 where,as illustrated in FIG. 13, the first switch, S1, is wired and switchedon or switched off between the gate terminal of the photo detector 300and the first solar cell bus, SCB 1; and the selection device, SEL, iswired between the source terminal of the photo detector 300 and thesecond solar cell bus, SCB 2, then outputs the photocurrent thus inducedto the pixel output terminal 1530. Meanwhile, the photo detector 300 mayadditionally include a second switch, S2, that is wired and switched onor switched off between the reset terminal of the photo detector 300 andthe first solar cell bus, SCB 1; and/or a third switch, S3, that iswired and switched on or switched off between the selection device, SEL,and the pixel output terminal 1010, where the reset terminal is dopedwith impurities that are different from those doped in the source andthe drain.

In addition, the first subelement 1501 and the second subelement 1502may share the first solar cell bus, SCB 1, and the second solar cellbus, SCB 2, in order to generate photovoltaic electromotive force asdesired. Therefore, the first solar cell bus, SCB 1, the second solarcell bus, SCB 2 and a plurality of switches as shown FIG. 11 or FIG. 13may be embedded in the array element 1500 so that the image sensor ofthe image sensor array 1400 is to be converted to a solar cell. That is,because an image sensor shares a single photo detector with a solarcell, electric power production and image acquisition occurs asnecessary one after the other. This is practical since a photo detectorapplied to a pixelated CMOS solar cell according to the presentinvention may be fabricated as per a standard CMOS process, whichfacilitates integration of the photo detector in a single chip withadjacent circuits.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram of an electronic device that acts as an imagesensor or a solar cell according to the present invention. Theelectronic device 1600 means image acquiring equipment including such asdigital cameras, CCTVs, etc. and other diverse kinds of equipment suchas smartphones, tablet PCs, TVs, etc. that feature a function of imageacquisition. The electronic device 1600 comprises an image sensorsection 1610 that comprises a plurality of unit pixels that can act as asolar cell depending on control signals; a processor 1620 that generatesthe control signal and transmits the control signal to the image sensorsection 1610; a battery 1630 that is supplied with electric power fromthe image sensor section 1610 in which the electric power has beencharged; and an electric power IC 1640 that is supplied with electricpower from the image sensor section 1610 in which the electric power hasbeen charged or from the battery 1630, where each of the unit pixelsincludes a photo detector that generates photocurrent current, beinginduced by light incident onto the gate, along the channel between thesource and the drain.

Meanwhile, should there be no event in which the image sensor section1610 acts as an image sensor, the processor 1620 transmits the controlsignals to the image sensor section 1610 so that the image sensorsection 1610 may acts as a solar cell.

In addition, the electronic device 1600 may additionally include anambient light sensor 1650 that collects ambient light then, should theintensity of the light exceed a certain value, affords the process 1620the ambient light information so that the process 1620 generates thecontrol signals.

Furthermore, each of the unit pixels, as illustrated in FIG. 7, mayadditionally include a first switch, S1, that is wired and switched onor switched off between the source terminal of the photo detector 300and the first solar cell bus, SCB 1; and a second switch, S2, that iswired and switched on or switched off between the gate terminal of thephoto detector 300 and the second solar cell bus, SCB 2.

Again in addition, each of the unit pixels, with reference to FIG. 11,may additionally include a first switch, S1, that is wired and switchedon or switched off between the gate terminal of the photo detector 300and the first solar cell bus, SCB 1; and a selection device, SEL, thatis wired and switched on or switched off between the source terminal ofthe photo detector 300 and the second solar cell bus, SCB 2, and outputsthe photocurrent off the pixel output terminal 1010.

For this purpose, the image sensor section 1610 may act as a pixelatedCMOS solar cell (PCSC) and be fabricated, via a standard CMOS process,in a single chip in which an image sensor is also embedded, whichpractices microminiaturization and low-power consumption simultaneously.Moreover, the electric power the image sensor section 1610 produces maybe stored in the battery 1630 such as a secondary cell so that theelectric power IC 1640 may be supplied as necessary with electric powerwithout a separate, external power source.

The description thus far is nothing more than an exemplification of thepresent invention and a person skilled in the art to which thisinvention belongs may, deviating from neither technical thoughts noressential features of the present invention, amend and modify thoseexemplifications.

In this perspective, the embodiments demonstrated in the specificationmust be interpreted to exemplify, not to restrict, the technicalthoughts of the present invention. Each element as a single, integratedcomponent according to an embodiment of the present invention, forexample, may be divided into a plurality of elements to be practicedwhereas an element as a plurality of non-integrated components may becombined into a single, integrated component to be practiced.

The scope of the present invention should be interpreted on the basis ofthe claims undermentioned of the specification. The meaning and scope ofthe claims of the specification, and all the modification andtransformation derived from the thoughts equivalent to the thoughts ofthe claims must be included to the scope of the present invention. FIG.14 is an image sensor array according to the present invention. Theimage sensor array 1400 acts as a high-sensitivity image sensor when arow decoder and matrix controller 1410 and a column decoder and matrixcontroller 1420 transfers the photocurrent photoelectrically convertedin the unit pixels 1000, 1200 of each column to an IVC circuit array1430 in which the IVC circuits of the columns are arranged in adirection parallel to the column then the IVC circuit array 1430converts the photocurrent to voltage signal and transfers the voltagesignal to CDS, etc, on the basis of the configuration of which ahigh-sensitivity, high-rate image sensor may be established. Inaddition, the unit pixel may be materialized by a PPS technique, but insuch a case, integration may not commence before the row decoder selectsa pixel because the effect of a parasitic capacitor is infinitesimal ordoes not exist when compared to the output current of thelight-receiving device in the pixel, which accounts for a majordifference of this technology distinct from a CIS unit pixel of anexisting APS technique. Therefore, a high-frame rate image sensor may beconfigured by multiprocessing the signals in a modified rolling shuttertechnique. The light signal may be transferred also via a columnparallel technique as well as a rolling shutter technique.

Because the unit pixel is very simple and small in terms of theconfiguration and dimension, respectively, an image the frame rate ofwhich ranges from 500 to 10,000 fps may be acquired, as in a generalglobal shutter, by placing a capacitor in the unit pixel to store thedata at one time in analogue memory and read the data at a high speed.

A unit pixel of an image sensor and an image sensor as a matrixcomprising the unit pixels have been exemplified so far via a pluralityof embodiments according to the present invention. The unit pixelsaccording to the embodiments of the present invention are arrayed2-dimensionally while the unit pixels may be arranged in the array, inorder to build up a frame, in an existing VGA, HD or full HD formincluding 640 by 480, 1280 by 720, 1920 by 1080, etc., 4K UHD including3840 by 2160, 4096 by 2160, etc. or 8K UHD including 7680 by 4320.

A larger photocurrent in a unit pixel provided by the present inventionthan that in an existing photo diode may be induced based on such aconfiguration aforementioned in that, different from an existing photodiode technology that distinguishes brightness from darkness by meansonly of the charge quantity stored in the electrostatic capacity, a unitpixel provided by the present invention controls the current flow alongthe source-drain channel due to the change in the charge quantity as afield effect induced by incident light onto the light-receiving sectionand, at the same time, receives charges via the drain, which per seamplifies the signal.

FIG. 15 is an array element that acts as an image sensor or a solar cellaccording to the present invention. The array element 1500 comprises asubelement 1501 in which two or more unit pixel elements are arranged ina first direction and a subelement switch 1502 that is wired andswitched on or switched off between the subelements, where thesubelement 1501, as illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 13, comprises a photodetector 300 that generates photocurrent flow along the channel betweenthe source and the drain; a plurality of switches, S1 through S3 andSEL, that connect the terminals of the photo detector to the first solarcell bus and the second solar cell bus; and unit pixel elements 1100,1300 that include a pixel output terminal 1010 that is wired to thesecond solar cell bus and stores the photocurrent by means of voltage.

The subelement switch 1502 may be wired and switched on or switched offbetween the second solar cell bus, SCB 2, of the first subelement 1501and the second solar cell bus, SCB 2, of the second subelement 1503; oras illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, between the second solar cell bus, SCB2, of the first subelement 1501 and the second solar cell bus, SCB 2, ofthe second solar cell bus.

The array element 1500 may additionally include a first control section1510 that generates individual signals for a plurality of switches, S1through S3 and SEL, in the two or more unit pixel elements 1100 where,as illustrated in FIG. 13, the first switch, S1, is wired and switchedon or switched off between the gate terminal of the photo detector 300and the first solar cell bus, SCB 1; and the selection device, SEL, iswired between the source terminal of the photo detector 300 and thesecond solar cell bus, SCB 2, then outputs the photocurrent thus inducedto the pixel output terminal 1530. Meanwhile, the photo detector 300 mayadditionally include a second switch, S2, that is wired and switched onor switched off between the reset terminal of the photo detector 300 andthe first solar cell bus, SCB 1; and/or a third switch, S3, that iswired and switched on or switched off between the selection device, SEL,and the pixel output terminal 1010, where the reset terminal is dopedwith impurities that are different from those doped in the source andthe drain.

In addition, the first subelement 1501 and the second subelement 1502may share the first solar cell bus, SCB 1, and the second solar cellbus, SCB 2, in order to generate photovoltaic electromotive force asdesired. Therefore, the first solar cell bus, SCB 1, the second solarcell bus, SCB 2 and a plurality of switches as shown FIG. 11 or FIG. 13may be embedded in the array element 1500 so that the image sensor ofthe image sensor array 1400 is to be converted to a solar cell. That is,because an image sensor shares a single photo detector with a solarcell, electric power production and image acquisition occurs asnecessary one after the other. This is practical since a photo detectorapplied to a pixelated CMOS solar cell according to the presentinvention may be fabricated as per a standard CMOS process, whichfacilitates integration of the photo detector in a single chip withadjacent circuits.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram of an electronic device that acts as an imagesensor or a solar cell according to the present invention. Theelectronic device 1600 means image acquiring equipment including such asdigital cameras, CCTVs, etc. and other diverse kinds of equipment suchas smartphones, tablet PCs, TVs, etc. that feature a function of imageacquisition. The electronic device 1600 comprises an image sensorsection 1610 that comprises a plurality of unit pixels that can act as asolar cell depending on control signals; a processor 1620 that generatesthe control signal and transmits the control signal to the image sensorsection 1610; a battery 1630 that is supplied with electric power fromthe image sensor section 1610 in which the electric power has beencharged; and an electric power IC 1640 is supplied with electric powerfrom the image sensor section 1610 in which the electric power has beencharged or from the battery 1630, where each of the unit pixels includesa photo detector that generates photocurrent current, being induced bylight incident onto the gate, along the channel between the source andthe drain.

Meanwhile, should there be no event in which the image sensor section1610 acts as an image sensor, the processor 1620 transmits the controlsignals to the image sensor section 1610 so that the image sensorsection 1610 may acts as a solar cell.

In addition, the electronic device 1600 may additionally include anambient light sensor 1650 that collects ambient light then, should theintensity of the light exceed a certain value, affords the process 1620the ambient light information so that the process 1620 generates thecontrol signals.

Furthermore, each of the unit pixels, as illustrated in FIG. 7, mayadditionally include a first switch, S1, that is wired and switched onor switched off between the source terminal of the photo detector 300and the first solar cell bus, SCB 1; and a second switch, S2, that iswired and switched on or switched off between the gate terminal of thephoto detector 300 and the second solar cell bus, SCB 2.

Again in addition, each of the unit pixels, with reference to FIG. 11,may additionally include a first switch, S1, that is wired and switchedon or switched off between the gate terminal of the photo detector 300and the first solar cell bus, SCB 1; and a selection device, SEL, that,being wired and switched on or switched off between the source terminalof the photo detector 300 and the second solar cell bus, SCB 2, outputsthe photocurrent off the pixel output terminal 1010.

For this purpose, the image sensor section 1610 may act as a pixelatedCMOS solar cell (PCSC) and be fabricated, via a standard CMOS process,in a single chip in which an image sensor is also embedded, whichpractices microminiaturization and low-power consumption simultaneously.Moreover, the electric power the image sensor section 1610 produces maybe stored in the battery 1630 such as a secondary cell so that theelectric power IC 1640 may be supplied as necessary with electric powerwithout a separate, external power source.

The description thus far is nothing more than an exemplification of thepresent invention and a person skilled in the art to which thisinvention belongs may, deviating from neither technical thoughts noressential features of the present invention, amend and modify thoseexemplifications.

In this perspective, the embodiments demonstrated in the specificationmust be interpreted to exemplify, not to restrict, the technicalthoughts of the present invention. Each element as a single, integratedcomponent according to an embodiment of the present invention, forexample, may be divided into a plurality of elements to be practicedwhereas an element as a plurality of non-integrated components may becombined into a single, integrated component to be practiced.

The scope of the present invention should be interpreted on the basis ofthe claims undermentioned of the specification. The meaning and scope ofthe claims of the specification, and all the modification andtransformation derived from the thoughts equivalent to the thoughts ofthe claims must be included to the scope of the present invention.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An electronic device, which acts as animage sensor or a solar cell, comprising: an image sensor section thatcomprises two or more unit pixels that may act as a solar cell dependingon a control signal; and a processor that generates the control signaland transmits the control signal to the image sensor section, whereineach of the unit pixels includes a photo detector that drives aphotocurrent flow, induced by light incident onto a gate, along achannel between a source and a drain.
 2. The electronic device of claim1, wherein, when there is no event in which the image sensor sectionacts as an image sensor, the processor transmits the control signal tothe image sensor section.
 3. The electronic device of claim 1additionally including a battery that is supplied with electric powerfrom the image sensor section that has charged the electric power. 4.The electronic device of claim 3 additionally including an electric ICthat is supplied with electric power from the image sensor section thathas charged the electric power or from the battery.
 5. The electronicdevice of claim 1 additionally including an ambient light sensor thatcollects ambient light then, when the intensity of the light exceeds acertain value, affords the process the ambient light information so thatthe process generates the control signals.
 6. The electronic device ofclaim 1, wherein each of the unit pixels additionally includes: a firstswitch that is wired and switched on or switched off between the sourceterminal of the photo detector and the first solar cell bus; and asecond switch that is wired and switched on or switched off between thegate terminal of the photo detector and the second solar cell bus. 7.The electronic device of claim 1, wherein of the unit pixelsadditionally includes: a first switch that is wired and switched on orswitched off between the gate terminal of the photo detector and thefirst solar cell bus; and a selection device that is wired and switchedon or switched off between the source terminal of the photo detector andthe second solar cell bus, and outputs the photocurrent off the pixeloutput terminal.